Arctic Tents Review — All You Need to Know Before an Expedition

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Cold weather camping requires a bit more preparation and skills, but it’s really worth it. The utter silence and breathtaking scenery are a pure bliss for a true adventure lover. Obviously, you start your preparations with looking for a tent that will best meet your needs. Stay with us to find out about the key requirements for the extreme weather tents, and read reviews of the best arctic oven tents.

Arctic Tents Requirements

Your arctic tent has to possess a range of features that will ensure its durability and strength in extreme weather conditions. Plus, your wilderness shelter must be built to provide a warmer, more protected interior environment. Here are some fundamental requirements arctic tents should meet to maximize safety and comfort during your winter camping.

Your arctic tent needs to have heavy-duty poles

To withstand fierce winds, your tent needs to have durable pole construction. For your arctic expedition, the pole material matters a lot: only metal poles will survive low temperatures and endure high winds.

Don’t underestimate the importance of ventilation 

While the majority of tents come with mesh panels, arctic tents typically have limited ones or are totally deprived of them. Instead, these tents often have small vent flys located close to the ceiling. Proper ventilation is quite essential in cold weather: it prevents condensation and moisture buildup.

Consider the height of the tent

Obviously, you are likely to spend more time in the tent during your cold weather camping. To feel comfortable, it’s important to be able to stand straight inside. That's why an arctic expedition tent should be taller than its 3 season counterparts.

Go for sturdy fabrics

Getting wet in the frosty weather might have deadly consequences, and that’s why the outer layer of your arctic oven tent needs to be made from waterproof fabrics.

Why you might want several entrances

Yes, it might sound insane and you may think why on earth you need several entrances in your arctic tent. Fair enough: extra doors may mean the unwanted heat loss. However, your arctic shelter has to ensure quick and easy access inside, which is especially essential when you camp in a large group. You don’t want to have to crawl over people when you need to go out, do you? In addition, strong winds can pile snow and block a single entrance, so there is another reason why you need more than one door in your arctic tent.

Arctic tents with stoves: stay warm and happy in your tent

Apart from a sturdy expedition tent, you’ll need a stove to keep you warm and dry in arctic conditions. That is why this kind of camping tent should have a stove jack and proper protection against fire. They usually come with fire-resistant mats, and the tent wall near the stove typically has extra protection against fire.

Expedition Tent for Extreme Weather Conditions

You might get easily spoilt by the choice of arctic oven tents: they come in a variety of shapes and sizes. However, wide choice also means confusion. That’s why we’ve prepared detailed reviews of our best arctic tents with stoves. Some are more basic while others have some advanced features, but each of them has proved to be a reliable and warm shelter in extreme weather conditions.

Arctic tents with stoves tested in real expeditions

Cuboid 4.40

Cuboid 4.40 is the perfect solution if you camp either with a group or there are just two of you, as it can accommodate up to six people. With the floor area of 104.41 square feet, four windows and two entrances, Cuboid 4.40 feels like a small apartment. Not to mention, the tent has a removable wall that divides it into two separate rooms. You can use one of them as a kitchen while the other can serve you as a sleeping area. With the height of 75”, it’s possible for a medium-height person to stand upright inside the tent. Plus, its height allows for bunk beds, which are super helpful for optimising the tent space. 

We tested Cuboid 4.40 in extreme weather conditions and made sure that it is a good choice for cold weather camping. Due to its robust frame made from aviation aluminum alloy, the tent managed to withstand high winds and frost. The wood stove helped to maintain a comfortable temperature inside: we recorded 80.6° F inside the tent while it was 1.4° F outside. Finally, the outer layer made from water-resistant fabrics provided effective protection from the melting snow. 

Although it took a bit more time to set it up if compared to a dome tent of the same capacity, Cuboid 4.40 exceeded our expectations. 

UP-5

UP-5 is a premium arctic tent with the umbrella-type frame design that allows for quick and easy set up: in fact, it took us only 2 minutes to pitch this tent. Speaking of the capacity, it can accommodate up to 8 people in sleeping bags. The tent has two entrances and two five-layer windows. Not to mention, the windows’ transparent layers are made of frost-resistant PVC and you can use them in low temperatures (up to -58° F). 

As UP-5 was designed for cold weather camping, it has the necessary features for the safe use of a stove: the tent has a stove jack, and the wall near the stove has a detachable, fire-resistant mat. You can use multiple hinges for drying your gear by hanging it close to the dome.

UP-2

UP-2 is the best solution if you want to camp alone or in a group of maximum four people. It’s the perfect option for a lonely getaway: the arctic tent military camouflage pattern will keep the tent unnoticed among the trees and rocks. It’s quite compact and easy to set up, with one entrance and two windows. Although smaller in size, it possesses all the necessary features for safe and comfortable winter camping. The heavy-duty aluminium frame and water-resistant outer layer ensure the tent’s durability in extreme weather conditions. 

Hexagon

Finally, meet Hexagon. It’is generously huge: at 135.63 square feet, this expedition tent is comparable to an apartment room. Actually, it is able to accommodate eight people in sleeping bags. And if you use bunk beds (which is quite possible with the height of 83”), you’re going to enjoy a lot of space. Hexagon is impressive in terms of safety. The place for the stove is located at a safe distance from the wall. The smoke pipe hole is made from heat-resistant material and equipped with stainless steel rings. Also, the tent features light-reflecting elements to prevent accidents.

Arctic Tents Add-Ons: Recommendations

Cold weather camping is a truly rewarding experience. However, even the most breathtaking sights won’t make up for a miserable night camping in freezing temperatures, so you have to prepare properly for your arctic adventure. Beyond a solid expedition tent, consider the gear that will help you stay warm and endure subzero winter extremes. Here are some essentials that will make your adventure more about comfort and less about battling the cold.

Wood stove

An expedition tent with stove is a must-have for extreme weather camping. A wood stove is a safe and efficient facility for heating your tent and staying warm. Tent stoves consume less wood than open fires to create the same heating effect. Also, the heat from the hot smoke drafting up the pipe is trapped in your tent. Wood burning stoves provide concentrated and consistent heat perfect for cooking. Without a doubt, stove top cooking is faster and cleaner than working over an open fire. A tent stove is your superhero when you need to quickly dry your gear. Besides, a wood stove with glass panes serves as an additional source of light in the tent, creating a cozy atmosphere. So keep in mind that your future wilderness shelter must have at least a stove jack or come with a stove so you don’t need to think of purchasing the one additionally.

Vestibule

The vestibule is a floorless covered section located outside your tent. They provide extra space to stash your gear out-of-the-way in a tent, or a place to change out of wet, muddy clothes and footwear before you get inside. Vestibules can really improve the livability of arctic oven tents. 

Universal Vestibule is one of our most popular tent accessories. With the dimensions 118"x 76"x74”, it is really huge, so you can use it even as a garage for snowmobiles. The Universal Vestibule has a sturdy aluminum frame. It has two zippered entrances and a window. The vestibule also features a fire-resistant hole for the smoke pipe, so you can place a stove inside and use this area for cooking. This vestibule can be attached to any UP-series tent with a zipper. You’ll also love pockets on the walls designed to keep the smaller items.

Floor

For more comfortable arctic camping, you might also want to get a tent floor. Most importantly, a tent floor provides for additional heat insulation and keeping heat inside the tent, which is fairly essential when you camp in extremely low temperatures. Also, if you’re using a tent stove without a heat-insulated floor, the snow beneath the tent will melt and the tent can freeze into it. Explore our tent floors and pick up your size.

Make your winter camping or arctic expedition gorgeous with our products

Our arctic tents with stoves offer complete protection even in the most severe conditions. In fact, it is difficult to find an expedition tent with stove that are entirely compatible with one another, so don’t waste the opportunity to get your tent together with the right stove. Go for extra comfort with our add-ons: a vestibule and a detachable tent floor will significantly improve your winter camping experience. Don’t hesitate to take advantage of our best offers and push further down the road of adventure, no matter the forecast.